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Joining the other side

Whelp, it was bound to happen eventually I suppose.
After two years of reporting on COVID-19 statistics, I've now become one.

NFTrouble

I've been meaning to write this column for a while and now seems the right time to talk about Non-Fungible Tokens, or NFTs.
They are all the rage these days, even though most people seem to be only vaguely aware of what they are or how they work.
So let's get into it.
To first understand what NFTs are, it helps to understand what cryptocurrency is.

Five things coming in 2022

As is tradition, in the wake of last week's review of things I enjoyed in 2021, we now take a look forward into the New Year with a list of upcoming projects that I am anticipating in 2022.
You've been here before. You know the deal. So let's get to it.
Star Trek: Picard (season 2)

Five Things in 2021

It's that time of year again. Time to reflect on all that has happened and make lists because lists are easy content and the holidays are not a time for columns that require a lot of extra effort.
So, as is tradition, here are five things I really liked this year.
WandaVision

Ho-Ho-Ho No!

It was the week before Christmas and all through the house the windows were shaking because tornados were ripping their way across the state in the middle of December.
Yep. That's a thing that happens now, apparently.
Wednesday was an unseasonably warm day. I almost instantly regretted my decision of going out with my heavier coat and spent a fair amount of the day sweltering under my Santa hat.

Winners and Trailers

As noted last week, The Game Awards happened on Thursday.
It was a nice celebration of the game industry and it was great seeing deserving developers get recognition for all their hard work.
But mostly though, like The Super Bowl, The Game Awards are mostly there as a vehicle for commercials. Or, in this case, trailers and announcements for new games coming down the line.

The winner is…

It's that time of year again. The time where we all start looking back at the past 12 months to try to figure out what the high points were.

Back in Black

After a year of COVID canceling everything, last week saw the return of the most American of holidays in all its glory. The one holiday that truly celebrates the American way of life and defines us as a culture.
I am, of, course, talking about Black Friday shopping.

So much to do, so much to see

Is it just me, or have the last few weeks been a really great time for genre entertainment?
This weekend I enjoyed the 1,000th episode of "One Piece." It was a lovely tribute to the long running anime series, which has grown into a global phenomenon over the last 20-plus years.
It was also just one of at least three major pop-culture releases last weekend.

End the Algorithm

While it may seem like Washington D.C. is doomed to perpetual gridlock, there are a few issues left in the world that haven't yet become partisan battlegrounds.
One of them, and I say this without hyperbole, may just be one of the most important pieces of legislation in our generation.
And, of course, it involves TikTik.
Not just TikTok, but every major social media platform out there.

Eternal struggle

So last week I based this column about how great it was going to be to finally go into a MCU movie without already having any preconceived notions about the characters based on their comic book counterparts.

Going in Blind

Another month, another Marvel movie.
With the second half of 2021 being loaded with "Black Widow," "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings," and "Venom: Let There Be Carnage" (it technically counts) it really feels like the MCU is making up for lost time.

Done with Dune

The latest adaptation of "Dune" is out and it's apparently pretty popular. I'm seeing lots of headlines about how the movie is topping the box office over strong competitors like… whatever else released this week.

Help wanted

A while back I went to the movies and noticed a "help wanted" poster on the theater doors. Not an unusual sight by any means, but one far more common these days.
After the movies, my friends and I decided to go out to dinner. We were shocked to discover that our first choice of restaurant was not available, having seated their last table at 7:00 so they could close early. Why? Because of a lack of staff.

Getting ratioed

Last week I wrote about "Seinfeld" recently releasing on Netflix in a cropped state, but "Seinfeld" is far from the only show that has been compromised over the last couple decades as televisions have transitioned from 4:3 to 16:9 aspect ratios.
Many of the most popular shows from the 90s have had similar treatment over the years, getting adjusted from their original 4:3 productions to fit modern 16:9 screens.

It's part of a show about nothing

Why would you spend $500 million for the rights to air a television show and only decide to broadcast a portion of it?

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